Who Cares About Tomorrow?
by Sentury
Summary: HBD Kender. Hector knows his time with Farina is coming to an end, he's the heir to a kingdom, and she's just an Illian Mercenary, it could never work, but that just means he'll have to love her even more today.


_A/N: "Another Hector/Farina fic Sentury?"_

_I know, guys, I know, this couple is getting some love from me, but its a birthday fic for Kender! Happy birthday, Kender! Stay awesome in your one year older age! _

_I had to rush this one because I only found out it was her birthday, like, 14 hours ago, though, so this might be a little suspect. If so, I apologize. Otherwise, enjoy! (Hopefully)_

* * *

"Tell me, Farina," Hector rolled on his side so he could look at her, "what's your dream, when this is over, what will you do?"

Farina stared straight up at the sky pondering at the glistening white stars that painted the sky, "Obviously, Lord Hector, my dream is to get very rich and live the rest of my life in exorbitant comfort where all I have to worry about is what color I want the curtains."

She finished with a deceptive smile and a wink that would have given away her lie, if Hector didn't already know.

"So," he said, playing along, "your dream is to be a….lady?"

"By Elimine, no! Yuck." She made a few dramatic gagging noises that made Hector laugh, which soon sent her into a fit of laughter as well.

"Well, I mean, living life in exorbitant comfort without a worry in the world…sounds like lordship."

"You shut up, Lord Hector" she sat up while wagging a finger at him, "don't you go ruining my dream, there are plenty of rich people who aren't lords and ladies!"

"Whatever you say, Lady Farina." Even Hector had to admit that 'Lady Farina' didn't roll off the tongue so well.

"You better stop!" she gave him a playful shove.

Hector knew better than that, though, his friendship with Farina had blossomed to the point where he could see through the playful language she used to deflect serious conversations. The only way to break through such a barrier was through a careful dose of friendly teasing with a hint of comical self-effacing. And regrettably, Hector knew their time together was coming to an end. With the final battle approaching, Farina's contract would soon be up and she would fly off to fight new battles for new employers.

There was always the thought of marrying her, solidifying their relationship so that it lasted forever – or at least until death took them, which was forever enough for him. Sadly though, Hector knew this was just a fantasy. There was a time when Uther was alive and he was just the forgettable younger brother that he could have been free to do what he liked, but that time was lost when illness took his older brother. The final battle also meant a new beginning for Hector, a time when he would be taking the illustrious (and secretly terrible) position of Marquess Ostia.

He liked to pretend that time was far away though, something abstract in the distance that was so far away it might never come. Of course there was also the possibility of running off with Farina to Ilia, maybe joining her as a mercenary and making just enough money to get by in their two bedroom home near the bay. That life, he thought, would have been paradise. But again, as much as Hector wished he could forget it, he had a responsibility to his people – Ostia would be in turmoil if he just never came home, they might even find him which would be…awkward. And also, Hector had a responsibility to his brother, he could not let his Uther's death be the bringer of chaos that would force Ostia to its knees, he loved him too much for that.

So with his options exhausted, and resolving himself to the fate of possibly never seeing Farina again, Hector was now concerned with one thing only: discovering everything he could about her in the short time they had left together. He'd been doing a fine job thus far; during breakfast one morning, he discovered her favorite food was roast duck stew, an odd taste, but fitting. Then there was the one night, after they'd gone a few rounds in his tent, where he found out her favorite color was yellow. Because of sunflowers, apparently. He found that fitting too because he supposed that if he had to describe Farina as something – particularly as a color – it would probably be yellow.

Of course he'd also discovered some things he would have rather not known. The tendencies of her former employers, for one. He'd learnt that the first night they'd spent together in his tent when he asked why she was trembling so much. When he found out, it took everything he had not to order Mark to change course and hunt the bastards down. There was also the tales of her sleepless nights during the Illian winters when she'd had nothing to eat but stale bread and moldy fruit. Picturing a shivering Farina huddled together with Florina and Fiora would be an image that Hector suspected would haunt him for years.

All these moments – the good ones certainly, but the bad ones as well - coupled together to create something. At first, discovering she loved roast duck stew was just the casual blossoming of comradery between two warriors fighting an impossible battle together. Soon, however, as he began to notice the way her body curved, and how she'd giggle joyously when whenever he'd found a sunflower for her, well, then it became love. And while Hector was the first to admit he wasn't the sentimental type, and certainly not one to buy into clichés, he _was _certain that loving Farina, and being loved in return, even for just a short time was something worth having and worth remembering.

"Okay, I'll stop, sorry, sorry," he laughed a few more breaths before regaining himself and continuing, "as my lady commands."

Without another word Farina tackled him and they both went rolling through the grass. She ended up on top of him and Hector saw her moment of vulnerability coming.

"That was hardly very lady like." He said with her weight comfortably on top of him.

"Okay," she replied with a shy grin, "_maybe _that wasn't quite my dream."

"Oh really?" replied Hector with some feigned curiosity.

"But I'm not telling." The way she crossed her arms and smiled made Hector think differently though, it would just take the right price.

"Okay," he began, pulling her down so she laid on top of him instead of sat, "what'll it cost me this time, mercenary?" That's always how it worked with Farina, she'd give him her favorite color if he gave her his most embarrassing moment, she'd hand over her favorite food, if he said what always made him angry (which was people who called him lord, and of course, soon after obtaining this knowledge, Hector became Lord Hector to Farina).

"A fair deal, I think, your ladyship," she nestled her head into his space above his heart and he blushed ever so slightly as he felt her chest against his, "I'll tell you mind for yours."

So a dream for a dream it was, Hector thought, a fair trade indeed, but Hector wasn't sure what his dream was anymore. Once, when he was younger, he had a hope to run away from home and be a mercenary himself. Then, later he wanted to be a great general who would lead his brother's armies to victory. But now, with Uther dead, his future seemed so drab and bland, paper work and being all kingly. He supposed his dream _should _be to lead his people to greatness.

"This dream can be anything?" he asked, perhaps trying to buy time.

"Duh, Hector, that's what a dream is, its not supposed to be that tangible."

He thought for a moment, looking at the slow raise and fall of her chest and the way her bangs and hair still looked so pristine and perfect even after what he was sure must be a hundred battles.

"Okay, he thought, "you first, though."

"Deal." She sat up again after that and began to trace the groves of his chest through his shirt, avoiding his eyes, "My dream, well I wasn't completely lying. I want to move out somewhere far away from Ilia, somewhere warm with lots of grass and rains every now and then instead of snows. I want a small house with nice things inside. Two children, a girl first, then a boy. And then, I want to one day hang up my lance, maybe never pick it up again and I want Murphy to not have to fight anymore either. He can live in my house too, eat all that nice grass, and I'll give him apples and carrots and all kinds of things. Then, we can both just forget."

Hector put a hand on the back of her head and began to stroke the silkiness of her hair and whispered, "That's a very specific dream."

She gave a sad smile, "I've thought about it for a long time, your turn, Lord Hector."

"Well, mine can hardly measure up to yours; it's a little more abstract, I'm afraid."

She gave a pouting motion, "oh no, no, no, you don't get to back out! Dream. Now."

Hector gave a deep, happy laugh before replying, "Okay, okay," he took a moment to regain himself, "if it can be anything, with no parameters, my dream would be to be with you. Anywhere, whether in your little house, in Ostia, in Ilia, wherever so long as we could be there together."

Farina eyes caught his and expressed a knowing gleam that suggested she already knew his answer before he even said it.

"There's a room for you in my dream house, Lord Hector. Let's live there now, just you and me, inside our dreams. There, no one can tell us how to live."

And she laid his head against his chest once more as they sat in a silent happiness, living, momentarily, in the joyous world of their dreams.

* * *

_I know, its an awful and really insanely cliche concept, but I was on the clock and had to put something out that was cute and fun. This is what was born of that. _

_Anyway, let me know what you think, and have a good one. _

_Kender, I hope you enjoyed this, happy birthday again!_


End file.
